Abstract Number: 0768 • ACR Convergence 2026
Improving Access to Orthopedic Surgery for Benefit Insured and Underinsured Patients: Early Outcomes of a Hybrid Ambulatory Care Center Model
Background/Purpose: Medicaid-insured patients experience disproportionately limited access to orthopedic care relative to patients with Medicare or private insurance. These disparities contribute to delays in treatment,…Abstract Number: 1705 • ACR Convergence 2026
Earlier Mortality Burden Among Black Americans With Systemic Sclerosis: Evidence of Accelerated Mortality Across the Lifespan
Background/Purpose: Systemic sclerosis (SSc) is associated with significant organ involvement and excess mortality. Although racial disparities in SSc outcomes have been recognized, the age at…Abstract Number: 2703 • ACR Convergence 2026
Disease-Modifying Antirheumatic Drug Order Capture Among Rheumatoid Arthritis-Coded Adults in an Underserved Outpatient Cohort
Background/Purpose: Disease-modifying antirheumatic agents are central to rheumatoid arthritis (RA) management, but treatment capture in underserved populations remains poorly characterized. EHR-based RA cohorts may include patients…Abstract Number: 0769 • ACR Convergence 2026
Insurance-Based Disparities in 30-Day Readmission After Lupus Nephritis Hospitalization: A National Readmissions Database Study
Background/Purpose: Lupus nephritis (LN) is a major cause of morbidity and hospitalization in systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE). While racial and socioeconomic disparities in LN outcomes…Abstract Number: 1707 • ACR Convergence 2026
Medication Adherence in SLE and RA: Prevalence and Predictors in a Nepali Tertiary Care Cohort
Background/Purpose: Currently, very little literature exists on drug adherence for rheumatological disorders in South Asia, although age-standardized point prevalence is not only highest in South…Abstract Number: 2704 • ACR Convergence 2026
Disparities in Lupus Research Participation and Resources at Sites with High Proportions of Black, Hispanic and Medicaid-insured Patients
Background/Purpose: Lupus disproportionately affects Black and Hispanic populations, yet these groups remain underrepresented in lupus clinical trials and research. Economic vulnerability and geographic barriers may…Abstract Number: 0770 • ACR Convergence 2026
Language-Based Disparities and Delay to Diagnosis and Treatment of Axial Spondyloarthritis
Background/Purpose: Axial spondyloarthritis (axSpA) is associated with an average diagnostic delay of 5 to 10 years [1], which has been linked to poorer functional outcomes,…Abstract Number: 1709 • ACR Convergence 2026
Overlooked Disparities in Musculoskeletal Care: Perceived Discrimination by Age, Sexuality, and Medically Underserved Status
Background/Purpose: Discrimination in medical settings (DMS) contributes to healthcare disparities, with 36.9% of U.S. adults reporting such experiences (Wang et al., 2024). Adults with musculoskeletal…Abstract Number: 2705 • ACR Convergence 2026
Disparities in Semaglutide Access despite Universal Health Care among Adults with Rheumatic Diseases and Diabetes
Background/Purpose: Semaglutide, an increasingly used type 2 diabetes (T2D) and obesity medication, is cardioprotective in various rheumatic diseases and may reduce arthritis-related pain [1]. However,…Abstract Number: 0773 • ACR Convergence 2026
Neighborhood Deprivation and Financial Burden Among Children and Young Adults With Rheumatic Disease
Background/Purpose: Children with rheumatic diseases often require frequent healthcare utilization, resulting in substantial financial burden for families. European studies of juvenile idiopathic arthritis (JIA) have…Abstract Number: 1710 • ACR Convergence 2026
Persisting Racial and Ethnic Disparities in Systemic Lupus Erythematosus Hospitalizations in the United States
Background/Purpose: To assess the age-sex-adjusted rate of primary SLE hospitalizations by race/ethnicity and determine if there are racial/ethnic disparities in primary SLE hospitalizations in the…Abstract Number: 2706 • ACR Convergence 2026
Disparities in Temporal Artery Biopsy Utilization, Timeliness, and In-Hospital Outcomes Among Patients Hospitalized With Giant Cell Arteritis: A National Inpatient Sample Analysis
Background/Purpose: Temporal artery biopsy (TAB) remains an important diagnostic tool in giant cell arteritis (GCA), but national patterns of TAB utilization and timeliness are not…Abstract Number: 0286 • ACR Convergence 2026
Unmet Need and Treatment Disparities Among Lupus Patients with Medicaid Insurance in the United States
Background/Purpose: Systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) is a chronic autoimmune disease that affects more than 200,000 Americans. Lupus nephritis (LN) is the most common organ‑threatening manifestation…Abstract Number: 0775 • ACR Convergence 2026
Racial and Ethnic Disparities in Sepsis Outcomes Among Hospitalized Patients with Polymyositis: A National Inpatient Sample Analysis
Background/Purpose: Sepsis is a leading cause of hospitalization and mortality among patients with polymyositis (PM), yet racial and ethnic differences in sepsis outcomes within this…Abstract Number: 1759 • ACR Convergence 2026
Redlining’s Enduring Impact: Linking Historic Development Policy to Missed Appointments and Health Outcomes in Rheumatology
Background/Purpose: Historic redlining practices have contributed to persistent health disparities by shaping neighborhood resources, investment, and access to care [1,2]. Community hospitals in low-income regions…
ACR Meeting Abstracts